Berbatov bullies Rovers into submission
The unfortunate thing for Allardyce and a Rovers team which is currently in worrying free-fall towards the foot of the Premier League table, is that the Bulgarian chose Saturday to demonstrate his world-class potential.
United are still operating well below the levels that carried them to the last two Champions League finals, and the last three Premier League titles, but first gear was more than sufficient to earn all three points on this occasion.
Dogged and well-organised as Blackburn were, they had no answer to a superb Berbatov strike early in the second half and an equally impressive finish from Wayne Rooney three minutes from time.
Yet this was only Berbatov’s fourth goal in 15 appearances for United this season, hardly the sort of return that might have been expected when Alex Ferguson paid Tottenham over £30 million for his services early last season.
Rooney, now with an average of almost one goal for every two Premier League games in his United career, is far more of a productive goalscorer but the undeniable fact is that the large quantity of goals that used to be produced by Cristiano Ronaldo have not been replaced in this current United team.
All of which leads Allardyce to conclude that this is a season of huge significance for Berbatov.
“I think he’s found it a little difficult to produce his very, very best, as he showed at Tottenham after a season,” said Allardyce. “This one is a big season for him. Playing for Manchester United is not an easy thing to do. There is a massive pressure that you live with at United, that every game you have to win.
“There’s no hiding here, there’s no easy games, and there’s no doing anything other than producing your best and winning games of football and I think perhaps he’s found that, as many other players have in the past, a little difficult to adjust to.
“He’s got really outstanding ability and as time goes on and as this season goes on you’ll find out if he’s good enough – he certainly was today for Manchester United.
“At the end of the day he’ll be judged by his goals. Outside the box, he’s as good anybody else in this country, probably in Europe. In terms of finding the space, his touch, his vision, he’s really, really good.”
Of course, what Allardyce could not be expected to articulate is the fact that it is one thing looking “really, really good” against Blackburn and quite another doing so against Liverpool, Barcelona or, more relevantly, Chelsea whom United meet at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
One of Ronaldo’s strengths, of course, was that not only would he sweep aside obviously inferior opponents, such as Blackburn, but have an equally significant impact upon the higher grade opposition.
The loss of Ronaldo is mentioned less and less around Old Trafford these days – it would certainly be a brave, or foolish, member of the media who raised the name with Ferguson – but there is an unavoidable feeling that United are nowhere near the team of last year.
Indeed, Kevin Keegan, commentating on television, went as far as to say before kick-off that this is Ferguson’s weakest squad for the last “five or six” years.
The former England manager pointed out that may still be adequate to win the league, possibly even the Champions League, but the squad is significantly weaker than it was 12 months ago.
Blackburn defender Ryan Nelsen was honest enough to confirm that United are still getting to grips with the loss of Ronaldo and named Chelsea as his title favourites, for that very reason.
“It’s logical that when you lose the world’s best player it is going to affect your team,” said Nelsen.
“He is an irreplaceable player. But over the years we’ve said that about so many players who have left United and the next season someone has stepped up to the plate or the manager has produced a gem from somewhere.
“They seem to keep producing good team after good team here even when they lose world class players. So I wouldn’t be surprised if they are there or thereabouts in any competition they are in.
“It is between United and Chelsea for me. I think they have got the experience and the players.
“I’m going to throw it out there and pick Chelsea – and I’m sorry to say that because I’m a big fan of United and what they do. I’d love to see United do it because I like what they do here.
“But I think Chelsea have got a lot of game winners and a lot of players who have the ability to change games in the blink of an eye.”
Before that Chelsea encounter, United must turn their attentions to Tuesday’s Champions League meeting with CSKA Moscow, a low-pressure affair given their standing in the group.
However, they will go into the game without the injured Rio Ferdinand and Ryan Giggs and with a doubt over Nemanja Vidic, leaving open the possibility of Wes Brown and Jonny Evans continuing in an unfamiliar central defensive partnership.
“A lot was made about Ferdinand and Vidic being out today,” said Ferguson. “But when you have Wes Brown and Jonny Evans as back-up, you’re not doing bad.
“If you take Ferdinand and Vidic out, then there are not many better pairings in the Premier League than Evans and Brown.”
REFEREE: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire) 6: Largely anonymous and, it would appear, even fit enough to satisfy Ferguson. His assistant erred badly in disallowing a Blackburn goal.
MATCH RATING: *** One of those instantly forgettable, routine, perfunctory United victories.
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